Improvement in trunk-catches



J. ARNOLD.

Trunk-Catch.

No. 197,074. Patented Nov. 13, I877.

N-FETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASIIHNGYON. D (Z ICE.

JOHN ARNOLD, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUNK-CATCH ES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,074, dated November 13, 1877; application filcd September 12, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN ARNOLD, of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Catches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a class of fastenings often applied to trunks to supplement a lock in securing the lid firmly.

It consists of a triuik-lateh in which the catch is connected to and operated by the key-hole guard, and is protected by a projecting rib, the case having an imitation key-hole.

The nature and character of my invention are fully shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the hook; Fig. 2, an edge view of the same; Fig. 3, a section through the center of the case; Fig. 1, an outside View of the case, and Fig. 5 an lnside view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures.

The case A is made, preferably, circular in form, with ears B for fastening to the trunk. It 1s designed to resemble in front the escutcheon of a lock, and has a piece, 0, pivoted 1n the center, that covers an opening, 1), (resembling a key-hole in the case A,) when turned in the proper direction. This piece is shown in section at O C (3 in Fig. 30 being the pm 0 external to the case A, C the pivot extending through the shell of said case 1k, and O the spring-catch attached to the pivot G, and forming a single solid piece w1th the pivot G and key-hole guard 0. Though constructed thus, it is so shaped as to be readily introduced through the hole D,

and is retained in the proper position by a spring, Gr, whichbears at its middle against the pivot O, and rests at its ends onlugs 0,formed inside the case A.

The pivot 0 being square in form, or flattened on two contiguous sides, the spring G serves not only to keep the pivot in the center of the case, but holds it firmly in the two positions it occupies when the spring-catch O" is locked and unlocked.

The form of the part 0 is plainly shown in Fig. 5, where the hook I is represented engaged with the spring-catch.

In Fig. 4, the key-hole guard G is shown turned away from the opening D, and a raised rib, H, is shown at one side of the hole D, to protect the guard G from accidental blows, which might push it around and unlock the catch C. This rib may be varied in form, but is best made as represented in Fig. 4, covering the guard at one side, as well as a portion of the lower end of G, where a blow might otherwise displace it.

The hook I is provided with a strengthening-flange, i, which fills the opening of the hook for a portion of its thickness, and thus enables the hook to be made of some form of cast-iron, while retaining the requisite strength.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A trunk-catch constructed, substantially as shown and described, with keyhole D, protecting-rib ll, and catch 0, made to operate by the key-hole guard O.

2. The combination of the push-piece C, pivot O, and catch 0, all constructed as shown, of a single piece, in combination w1th the imitation key-hole D,all as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ARNOLD.

Witnesses OLIVER DRAKE, GUSTAV LEHLBACK. 

